Tennessee Stat Book
Dave Hooker audio
“Best” is a big word. It’s absolute, to be used only with the utmost discrimination.
With that standard in mind, I hesitate to say definitively who is the best football player I’ve seen in 25 years covering Tennessee.
I don’t hesitate to say this: Eric Berry is becoming harder to refute.
“He’s amazing,’’ UT head coach Phillip Fulmer said Sunday night in what has become a weekly assessment of his sophomore defensive back.
“He’s maybe a Dale Carter kind of guy,’’ Fulmer said, trying to conjure up another great DB. “But when you put him in the category of players here at other positions, he’s in the Peyton Manning or Jamal Lewis type of category. He’s just a fantastic football player.’’
At Tennessee there is no category higher than the Peyton Manning category.
Manning is one of UT’s four Heisman Trophy runners-up. He, Doug Atkins and Reggie White have their numbers retired.
Of those three, Manning was the only one I covered. I’d certainly put him on my short list of best UT football players, along with Carter, Heath Shuler, Carl Pickens, Al Wilson and John Henderson.
Then there’s Berry, rising with a bullet.
You know the headlines. Saturday night he broke the SEC record for career interception return yards. Ten career interceptions, 397 career return yards. (That doesn’t count a 52-yard fumble return last year.)
Some career. He’s played a whopping 21 games.
The record Berry broke, set by Bobby Wilson of Ole Miss, had stood for 59 years. (Wilson later coached baseball at Carson-Newman for nearly 30 years.)
The next record Berry will break is the NCAA record for career return yardage: 501, by Terrell Buckley of Florida State 1989-91. Go ahead, mark it down.
Berry is the complete package. He tackles like a jaguar on a deer. But it’s his interceptions, and what he does after, that is most remarkable.
His first was spectacular, returning a Tim Tebow pass 96 yards for a touchdown in 2007. Later that year, Berry had two picks against Arkansas for a combined 98 yards.
In the past three games, Berry has been expanding his range: 48 yards against Northern Illinois, 54 against Georgia and then 72 for a touchdown against Mississippi State.
Fulmer acknowledged Sunday it’s getting tougher to ignore the benefits to be derived from using Berry on offense or kick returns. He was, after all, a high school quarterback.
“The problem is time,’’ Fulmer said, meaning practice. “You start getting ready for an offense, particularly one like Alabama, and it’s hard to take him off (defense) to work on those things.’’
If Berry never plays a snap of offense or returns a kick, he’ll still be electrifying to watch. On that count, it’s too bad Tennessee’s season tanked so early. Berry deserves to have a nation watching.
If he stays healthy, he will also deserve to be consensus first-team All-America, regardless of Tennessee’s fate.
If he finishes the season the way he’s started he’ll be a worthy candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back.
And here’s one more “if’’ to consider, albeit a wild and crazy one.
If Berry were to return a few kicks and see what he could do with the ball in his hands on offense, would any Heisman Trophy voters take note?
They noticed Charles Woodson in 1997. Woodson had eight interceptions that year for a combined seven return yards. Seven.
Berry’s had 174 yards the past three weeks. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
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Comments » 40
bcbobcat82 writes:
What would a VOLUNTEER'S life be like as this time without BERRY? This kid is amazing, and I really do believe that he is comparable with AL as a leader. I really hope I dont see him play on SUNDAYS for a few more years. WE LOVE YOU ERIC!!
ZR writes:
When are we gonna beat Florida?
TommyJack writes:
Props to Coach Majors for the Berry's.
BobbyGraham writes:
if he is a dale carter type of player, than why isn't he returning kicks? Look what Carter did against Florida and others.
ellisonfamily writes:
If Charles "He Stole the Heisman from Peyton Manning" Woodson deserved a Heisman, how much more does Berry? Unfortunately, Eric doesn't play at Michigan, USC, Notre Dame, or Ohio State, so the newspaper guys will not even consider him.
Urbiewerecomingtogetyou writes:
He's only a sophomore and I believe he has to finish his junior year.
JohnnyU writes:
I sure hope we can keep him for one more year.
ibvolman writes:
Everyone just CALM DOWN. Stop and think about it. Berry is a Sophmore. You cannot be elligble for the NFL draft until after your Junior year. Now, do the math. Berry must play at least one more year to be elligble for the NFL. He will be back next year.
andy112382#209793 writes:
And don't forget guys and gals, he has twin brothers who, at least he claims, are more atheletic than he is... as hard as that is to imagine! Sure hope they follow their dads and big brothers footsteps to Tennessee!
GO VOLS!!!
RockyTopVolFan writes:
Eric Berry is dynamite great!
Put him on offense for some plays coach, purty please!
Congratulations Eric on your increasing attention which is very much deserved, keep wowing us with your actions on the field.
BillsBrother writes:
Eric Berry and ten walk-ons = two punt return touchdowns per season.
CPF needs to make a way to get the ball in his hands more often.
KAvolsfan writes:
the rule is that you have to be out of high school for three years. either as a junior or a redshirt sophomore
MidTennVol writes:
If Fulmer/Clawson really want to confound Satan this Saturday, line G. Jones and Berry up both behind Stephens. Use that a few times. Pass from it.
Alabama is coming to stop our run. Unlike Miss. St., they have every reason to believe they can do that. Gotta hit some passes early to open things up a little.
WeLoveTennesseeVols writes:
Tennessee's season has not tanked, Mr. Bigshot 25 years worth of sports writer, maybe your ability to use Eric Berry to promote yourself has. Maybe he'll just go pro next year since Tennessee has been deemed not worthy of his presence. Would serve writers like you, who have had it your way too long. Fulmer has to excel year after year, but you guys can dog it, go down to the pub and polish off a couple of beers and be called heroes. You rag me off with your insensitive comments , and then expect me to endorse you to every tom, dick, and harry i meet? Yes, Eric, is doing really good. So what? They all should shine like he does, that's what you should be writing about. Why don't all of you guys turn it up a notch or two. Maybe more sportswriters will be endorsing you onTHE NATIONAL LEVEL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU WIN MORE GAMES. And if we were doing good nationally, sure bet, first thing we'd be hearing would be, "Wonder if Berry going pro next year" You all are WORTHLESS. You guys destroy everything you touch. Thank God, you were not around when the world was created. And certainly not around in the numbers you are now, when football was growing. You sportswriters are like dogs in heat. Over zealous. Get a real life, a real job. Now, for reality, Fulmer will never let him quarterback, return kicks, punts, throw passes, play wide receiver, etc. If he did, though, would you morons get off of his back? Maybe he could use Berry to win his job back. Other coaches would, but not Phil, Phil cares too much about his people. And sportswriters like you want to run him out of town. Greedy is what you guys are, and the Fulmer haters are too. Just plain ole' GREEDY.
MidTennVol writes:
Jamie Rotella, Haskel Stanback, Condredge Holloway, Willie Gault, Roland James -- is Berry in that class?
lofton_for_3 writes:
ERIC EFFIN' BERRY
gillblog writes:
To my eyes, there are three players between the Vols and a 1-6 season, and 2 of them are Eric Berry.
rootin4volz writes:
Four letters sum him up. E-R-I-C? No. S-T-U-D!
knoxtenor writes:
You know, if I were a player in UT's offensive backfield, I'd be really, really embarrassed that a guy on the defense has spent more time with the ball in the end zone than I and most of my compadres had combined. Maybe there is something to that crazy "Wild Berry" offense idea.
pdhuff#552644 writes:
Wish we were a three or four trick pony.
Well, just appreciate the one and the occasional star performance of someone else.
When the huzzahs die down, we look at the skinny.
We will be out-manned at both D and O lines Sat nite. Footballs bounce funny sometimes, but we cannot have interceptions or patented fumbles. We have done better by making sure the correct players are inserted in red zone situations.
They are 7-0 for a reason. Deep and talented, they will come to grind us down. We made John Parker Fitzhamptin Wilson appear All-Sec last year, we don't need to do it again.
They have tossers and catchers. And most of all, they have tacklers. And they have Saban. His rag-tag bunch last year nailed 41 in our hide.
We can hope. Mr Clawson, the stage is yours, or so we are told.
CoverOrange writes:
Holloway and James, yeah.
Rotella, Stanback, and Gault? What?
Alabaster_Jones writes:
I love the Fulmer comment..."The problem is time...." Can someone please explain to Phil that when you have a player with the ability of Berry you MAKE time to figure out a way to get him the ball. If Phil would think outside the little orange box every once in a while then he might not be fighting for his job.
rockytop4ever writes:
I know he is only a SO. but I rank him up there with Al Wilson and Dale Carter. Hands down the DB we have had here in years. Im just glad I am lucky enough to watch him every week. He is something special and they dont come along everyday. Enjoy it while it last folks! Go Vols beat bama!
richvol writes:
Thank you...
Berry will not be "THE" quarterback at UT unless they switch him completely and that's not going to happen. His future in the pros is at corner or safety.
The best we can hope for is to use him at wideout. He could kill other teams in the open field.
SemperVol writes:
Like a Jag on a Stag.
jasonn1970 writes:
I don't see how anyone else could win the Thorpe Award - unless it's one of those deals where they only give it to Seniors. If it takes so much time to put him in on offense why not just let him return kickoffs??? Surely letting EB touch the ball another 2 or 3 times a game would help this 3-4 football team! As far is him being the greatest Vol DB ever I think he already is. I remember Dale Carter. He was one of the best ever at UT. But opponents didn't fear being hit by Dale Carter the way they do Eric Berry.
NJVol writes:
I'm heading down to the game this weekend. Anyone have 2-3 tickets they are looking to get rid of?
westtnvol#518878 writes:
The young man is a pleasure to watch. Go Vols!
pax_americana writes:
Is it Fulmer's program, or the graduates' and students' of this University?
If it's Fulmer's, then let's just give him a lifetime contract; if not, he has to go as he is not performing his job sufficiently to justify retention.
As this University's athletic department continues to run its operation vis-a-vis a professional team, then bottom line must rule, and Ole Phil just is not getting the job done.
From the tenor of your post, I would guess your son's dating his daughter, you go to church with him, live next to him, or something else like that. Of course, it could be you live in the past.
Frankly, I don't care either way. What you simply don't realize is that because it is a bottom line business, and because our attendance figures are as bad as they have ever been in the last 30 years (there was maybe 75,000 on Sat. in the arena), and because those who are coming to the games are not spending as much either inside the arena or outside, the axe will fall after the season.
So, if you are a true Tennessee fan, realize that our football team will still be wearing Big Orange next year, the difference being they will have a fighting chance against Fla, Uga, Auburn, etc., because our coaching staff will give them one.
bluetick writes:
Unfortunately I think you're correct about this.
bluetick writes:
I totally agree with you on this one. Fulmer is too conservative. Berry could bring some fire to this team that is badly needed. Teammates would feed off of his energy. At least SOME offensive plays or return kicks or something on occasion. I wish Fulmer thought that like Boise St. coach. Can you imagine what he would be doing with our talent on this team? Man that would be fun to watch. I really hope they consider him when the time comes that Fulmer goes.
utvolz#637682 writes:
Eric Berry = heat seeking missile on defense and a gazelle with the ball in hand! BEAT BAMA!
Alabaster_Jones writes:
What really kills me is watchng players like Joe McKNight at USC or the receiver at Missouri. Those guys are players, guys who can do alot anytime they touch the ball, so what does their coach do...."GETS THEM THE DAMN BALL!!!" For some reason the staff at Tennessee fails to realize the kind of impact a player like EB would have in the return game. I mean put him in the slot, you don't use the player whose there anyway (B.Warren) let someone else take a shot.
This is one reason why this program is stale, no creativity on the staff. Can you imagine if EB played for P. Carroll or Urban Meyer or Ohio State? This kid would be a Heisman contender cause he would be used to the best of his abilities. Sorry Eric Berry, but you'll do great things in the NFL
leedsvol2007 writes:
Berry certainly qualifies as the most electrifying defensive player we have had since Reggie White.
There have been some great one's during my time as a Vol fan though that I would like to mention. In their era they had similar talents to Berry.
Namely Jackie Walker, Bobby Majors, and Eddie Brown.
None had his speed but Walker returned 5 interceptions for TD's, Majors had numerous big punt returns and interceptions, and Eddie Brown did the same.
It's been a long time since we have had that dominant a player in our secondary.
And with the improvements in training that have evolved over the years none of them were as athletically gifted as is Berry.
TommyJack writes:
Daneman: Yes, easily. He's one of those once every 20 years or so kind0guys.
CrankE writes:
Strange, I was wondering this the other day separate from your article. There's only been one player to ever win the Heisman on a losing team. Paul Hornung on a 2-8 team beats out Johnny Majors on a 10-0 Tennessee team. There's only been one player to ever win the Heisman from a primarily defensive position. Charles Woodson beats out Peyton Manning in 1997. Could Berry be the first player to win it from a defensive position and be on a losing team? Give him a few more touches on offense/special teams and we'll find out.
If it weren't for Eric Berry, I'm not sure we'd have anything to cheer for this season.
dirtdobber1 writes:
Lets keep him on defense,kick and punt returns and use him as receiver on offense. But please....................dont start this g-gun crape or wild bill, drunk hillbilly direct snap junk- doesnt work- other team will just load up with 15 in the box.
And dont forget, most important of all...let see sum Mustang Package saturday night!
CT_VOL writes:
Is it safe to say that we all agree that Berry is a good player?
Frank
rockytop47 writes:
If I have to read another post about Berry leaving I will go crazy. I think you need to aleast know something about college football to post here! YOU HAVE TO BE THREE YEARS REMOVED FROM HIGH SCHOOL! He cannot be drafted by the NFL until after NEXT season.
Orange4life writes:
while great , he has a lot to learn. The next level you cant get beat on the long post(LSU, FLA) you have to lead by example(voice) and hit for the ball and wrap up(not just hit and hope you kill em. Love him and would love to have 6 more like him, but still has a lot to learn, we all know that.
Another year and he will be dynamite, wow!
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